Cement batcher



H. E. M CRERY CEMENT BATCHER March 26, 1935.

Filed April 29, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR March 26, 1935. H. E. M cRERY CEMENT BATCHER Filed April 29, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 3 4- 5.2%:(207 Z W M H. E. M CRERY CEMENT BATCHER March 26, 1935.

Filed April 29, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR March 26, 1935. H, E, MOCRERY 1,995,458

CEMENT BATCHER INVENTOR M and March 26, 1935. E, C 1,995,458

CEMENT BATCHER Filed Apri 29, 93 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q I i Q 65 71 l 100 80 5 a] 72 I 6 E INVENTOR M5. 76 41 I I 75 M Patented Mar. 26, 1935 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CEMENT BATCHER Harold E. McCrery, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Blaw-Knox Company, Blawnox, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 29, 1933, Serial No. 668,592

3 Claims. (01. 7s 131 This invention relates to mechanism for sepbrings the material from the unloading point to arating quantities of material from a source of the point where it may be delivered to the batcher. supply, such mechanism being commonly termed A supporting framework 11 provides a cross-beam a batcher. 12 for carrying a hopper 13. A casting 14 is '5 The batcher disclosed herein is especially rigidly secured to the hopper 13, which casting adapted for measuring out accurately predeterreceives the material drawn along the casing of mined unitary quantities of cement for incorpothe conveyor by its screw, and delivers such ration with other materials into batches to be material into the hopper 13 so as to keep the mixed to produce concrete; but it may be used same supplied as long as material is drawn along 10 :to apportion other materials'for other purposes. the conveyor 10. If an arrangement such as is 10 There must be a supply of material from which shown in Fig. 1 is used, the conveyor 10 must the batcher may be fed by gravity. This supbe stopped if the hopper 13 becomes filled. Furply may be a, storage bin above the batcher; but thermore, by controlling the speed of the conmore fully to illustrate further possibilities of veyor 10, the delivery of material to the hopper 15 the invention, I have preferred to show the 13 may be controlled so as to keep pace with the 15 batcher as adapted for use in a. plant for undispensing of material by the batcher. The loading and storing material, as well as for batchstarting and stopping of conveyor 10 and the ing it, as disclosed in my copending application regulation of the speed of this conveyor may be No. 654,866, filed February 2, 1933. In said coeffected in any suitable manner, as by manual pending application is described a plant whereby operation. 20 cement is handled from freight car or truck to As set forth in my copending application above batcher or to storage bin, with provision for rereferred to, I prefer to organize the plant as circulating from storage bin to batcher as deshown in Fig. 2, adding a conveyor 16 which sired. In the drawings of the present applicacarries away to storage any surplus material not 3.3 tion, that part of the conveyor system of the codelivered into the hopper 13. This conveyor 16 pending application which delivers cement to the is of a capacity at least as large as that of the batcher has been shown as a suitable source of conveyor 10; and accordingly, if more material pp y. is drawn along the conveyor 10 than can be In the accompanying drawings which are inhandled in a given period by the batcher, the

:1 tended to be merely illustrative of my invention, hopper 13 becomes filled, and the surplus overand not as limiting the same, flows laterally into the conveyor 16 by means of Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the batcher, which it is carried away to storage. parts of the enclosing casing being broken away The batcher, to which more particularly this to afford a clearer illustration of details; application relates, does not depend upon use Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the batcher shown with other parts of the plant shown in my above 35 in Fig. 1, a portion of the casing being here likeidentified copending application, the arrangewise broken away; ment of conveyors 10 and 16 and the casting 14,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the which is more fully described and claimed in said louver gate and pivoted receptacle of the batcher, copending application, being shown here for purthis section being taken on the axis of the poses of illustration only. It will be understood 40 receptacle; that any suitable means for supplying material Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line IVIV of may be employed with the other parts of the Fig. 3; batcher.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the receptacle; The hopper 13 has an outlet, the lower part of Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on line which consists of a neck 17 of yieldable mate- VIVI of Fig. 3; rial such as rubber or canvas. The neck 1'7 is Fig. '7 is a wiring diagram of the interlock beclamped to the casting forming the hopper by a tween the weighing mechanism and the pivoted clamp 18. Its lower portion is steadied by a receptacle; and framework 19. Discharge from the hopper 13 5 Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the interlock. through this outlet is controlled by a suitable de- Of the plant for handling sand, cement and vice controlled by theoperator, who is stationed similar material which has been referred to on the platform P at the left of Fig. 2. The above, the batcher is shown in front and side control device which I prefer to employ for this elevation in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The purpose, especially if cement is being handled, conveyor 10 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings is the louver gate 20 illustrated in the drawings 66 and shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. This louver gate includes a plurality of shutterlike blades 21 carried by gate bars 22 which are rotatably mounted in the hopper 13. Adjacent edges of the blades 21 overlap. By means of I short levers 23 secured on the ends of the bars 22, the blades 21 may be rocked so as to permit passage of material from the hopper 13 down-- wardly through the neck 17.

I provide mechanism for operating the louver gate, so arranged as to be easily operated by an attendanton the platform P. Such mechanism may'include a rod 24 connected in common to the several levers 23, a connecting link 25, and an arm 26 on the end of a rock shaft 28. Such rock shaft 28 may be provided with a manual control conveniently arranged for the operator. Accordingly, if the arm 26 be drawn toward the operator, the louver gate will be opened to permit discharge of material from the hopper.

Before describing in detail the receptacle 30 which receives the material discharged from the hopper through the neck 17, reference will be made to the weighing mechanism 32 and the arrangement whereby such weighing mechanism carries the receptacle 30. The details of design of the weighing mechanism 32 form no part of my invention, it being understood that various types of weighing mechanism are in common use. I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 such weighing mechanism hung from the supporting framework 11. This weighing mechanism 32 includes a support 34 providing trunnions 35 in which the receptacle 30 is pivotally mounted. The weight carried by the support 34 registers on a dial indicator 36 described and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 654,385, filed January 31, 1933, which has matured into Patent No. 1,978,215, dated October 23, 1934. It is sumcient here to point out that the indicator 36 is so mounted as to be easily readable at .all times by the operator standing on the platform P. Two marks on the dial assist the operator in keeping track of the condition of the receptacle 30. When the pointer registers with one of these marks, the operator knows that the receptacle is empty. He thereupon operates the rock shaft 28 so as to draw the lever arms 23 toward him, thus opening the louver gate 20 and permitting passage of material, such as cement, through the outlet into the receptacle 30. As the amount of material in the receptacle 30 approaches the predetermined quantity, the pointer moves over toward the other mark; and the operator controls the louver gate 20 so as to cause the pointer to stop as nearly in registry as possible with the second mark.

The organization of the batcher has been perfected so as to make the operation of the weighing mechanism highly accurate. The inlet 38 of the receptacle receives the neck 17 which, being of yieldable material, makes practically sealing engagement therewith. This-inlet 38 has scant lateral clearance for the neck 1'7 so that the material being discharged into the receptacle and any matter such as dust or fumes given off during the passage from the hopper 13 into the receptacle are confined as much as possible.

Nevertheless, there is no binding engagement between the inlet 38 and the neck 17 to interfere with accurate weighing. Moreover, the inlet38 encloses the neck 1'7 on only three sides, the fourth side being left open as indicated at 39 so that when the receptacle 30 tilts to discharging'position, there is a passageway on this fourth side for the bottom part of the neck 17. Even this fourth side is practically sealed upon arrival of the inlet 38 in theposition shown in Fig. 4, as will be later described; and accordingly tightness of the connection between the hopper 13 and the inlet 38 is assured on three sides by cooperation between the neck 1'7 and the inlet 38, and on the fourth side by supplemental sealing means engageable by the inlet 38 on moving to receiving position.

The receptacle 30 is arranged to receive material from the hopper 13 when in one position, and is movable to discharging position so that the batch may be delivered and the receptacle returned to receiving position. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, a shaft 40 adjacent the center of mass of the filled receptacle supports the receptacle, this shaft 40 being flattened vertically as shown in Fig. 4, so as to have a norrow cross-section and present as little obstruction as possible to gravity movement of material into or from the receptacle. As above indicated, this shaft 40 has projecting trunnions rotatably mounted in bearings 35 provided by the support 34 of the weighing mechanism. Inasmuch as the shaft 40 is fixed to the receptacle 30, a jack shaft 41 generally coaxial with the shaft 40 and coupled thereto by a flexible coupling 42 provides a convenient manner of tilting the receptacle. This lack shaft 41 is mounted on the framework 11 and carries a sprocket wheel 43 connected by a sprocket chain 44 to a sprocket 45 on the operating shaft 47. A wheel 48 on the operating shaft 47 is in a convenient location so that the operator may tilt the receptacle 30 when the predetermined charge has been delivered into the receptacle 30 through the louver gate 20.v It is important that there be sufficient play in the coupling between shafts 40 and 41 so that the receptacle 30 carried by the support 34 may have small vertical movement as the receptacle is loaded and unloaded. A simple and effective coupling 42 may be made by surrounding the adjacent ends of shafts 40 and 41 by a loose sleeve connected in well known manner to both shaft ends so that the pivot pins are free'to move in slots.

When the hopper 30 is tilted by rotating the sprocket 43 on the jack shaft 41 and thereby turning the shaft 40, the material is discharged through the inlet 38 into a hopper 50. The lower part of the-hopper 50 may be of rubber or canvas so that the outlet may be readily inserted into suitable receptacles for the measured cement when the charges are to be so delivered. The hopper 50 may also deliver the material to cars, trucks or other conveyances, as set forth in my copending application Ser. No. 654,866, filed February 2, 1933.

During operation of the batcher, there may be a tendency for matter such as dust, fumes, etc., to be disseminated at such times when the receptacle 30 is being filled or discharged. To prevent the dust or the like becoming a nuisance, I provide a casing 51 which extends from the hopper 50 to the outlet through which the material is discharged into the receptacle. Accordingly, the receptacle 30 is completely enclosed in all positions. The upper part of this casing is completed by a plate 52 which is disposed slightly be- I ing 51, thus bringing the sprocket wheels 43 and 45 and the sprocket chain 44 on the outside of the casing.

When the receptacle is loaded through the neck 17, a volume of air equal to the volume of cement discharged through the neck 17 must be displaced from the receptacle 30. The rush of air thus displaced would tend to produce dust; and to permit the escape of such dust would cause inconvenience to the operator, and might become a nuisance to others in the surrounding neighborhood. Accordingly, I prvide a vent 55, shown herein as a pipe, communicating with the neck 17 at a point just below the louver gate 20. This vent pipe may be carried up to any convenient height; and when the material is discharged through the louver gate 20 into the receptacle 30, the displaced air is forced up the vent 55. When the batch is discharged from the receptacle 30, this same vent acts to take up any pulsations within the casing 51. For instance, any tendency on the part of the out-flowing material to cause suction within the casing 51 is counteracted by inflow of air through the vent 55.

Should the operator by accident or by inadvertence introduce too much cement into the receptacle 30, any excess cement may be discharged through an outlet 56 shown more in detail in Fig. 6. A valve 57 normally closes this outlet. A bafile 58 prevents a suddent rush of cement through the outlet 56 when the valve 57 is opened. Moreover, the baffle 58 prevents the packing of cement against the valve 57. Thus there is not the weight of the contents of the receptable to press against the valve 57, but only the weight of whatever cement makes its way behind the bufile 58. The valve 57 may be opened by moving a lever 60 secured to one end of the shaft 61 on which the valve 57 is pivotally mounted. A spring 61 tends to maintain the valve in closed position. There is no connection extending to the operators position on the outside of the casing 51 permitting operation of the valve 57 from outside the casing. An opening is, however, provided in the casing 51; and the operator may reach through and by means of the lever 60 discharge the excess cement or other material through the outlet 56 into a discharge chute 62 or other device for carrying away this excess cement. In the ordinary operation of the batcher, it is seldom necessary to operate the valve 57 because, with reasonable care and experience, an operator can secure accurate measurements without over-running.

The beam box 64 houses the parts of the scale mechanism which are not enclosed within the casing 51. The beam box 64 and the casing 51 may both be closed by scale inspectors or the plant superintendent so that all parts of the scale mechanism are protected from tampering. This makes it impossible for the operator to alter the setting of the scale mechanism or to tamper with the scale mechanism so as to cause unauthorized operation of the batcher. It is thus rendered impossible to dump a batch of cement from the receptacle 80 in other than the contemplated manner. The details of the interlock between the scale mechanism and the jack shaft 41, which requires the operator to fill the receptacle 30 accurately in order to dump the same, will be described below.

' It will be observed that the arrangement of the neck 17 and the inlet 38 of the receptacle 80 is such that the operator does not have to pay any particular attention to the entrance of the neck into the receptacle when the receptacle is rotated into position to receive the charge; and, in fact, these parts are enclosed within the casing 51 so that they are inaccessible. Tilting of the receptacle 30' in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4 is limited by a downward extension 65 of the framework 19. Buffer material such as a layer of rubber 66 may be used to face the stop 65, such material functioning at the same time as the supplemental sealing means for the inlet 38 which has been mentioned above. When the receptacle 30 is dumped by rotating the wheel 48 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, the are through which the receptacle 30 may be swung is limited by engagement between a lug or bracket 67 on the leading side of the receptacle 30 and a stop 68 (see Fig. 1) projecting from the inner wall of the casing 51.

As above indicated, the receptacle cannot be swung to discharging position until the operator has accurately weighed out the correct charge. The weighing mechanism may be set by the scale inspector or the plant superintendent for this predetermined charge. In accordance with the arrangement disclosed in detail and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 654,385, the pointer of the dial indicator 36 registers with the full load mark when the predetermined charge has been weighed out. At this time a circuit is completed as illustrated by the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 7 so as to actuate the solenoid 70 and elevate the lock lever 71. Lifting lever 71 removes a lug 72 from the path of a nose or projection 74 on the cam 75. This cam is keyed to the jack shaft 41 (see Figs. 2 and 8) so as to control rotation of the shaft 40. An adjusting screw 77 is disposed in the path of a projection 78 on the cam 75 so as to limit the rotation of the jackv shaft 41 and sprocket 42 in counterclockwise direction (or in other words, the direction of rotation when the receptacle 30 is being returned to filling position. The projection 78 and the screw 77 are in a different plane from the nose 74 (note the shading shown in Fig. 8 near the bottom of cam 75) so as to permit the nose 74 to pass, during turning of the receptacle 30 bottom up. The lock lever 71 is pivoted on an eccentric 80. This eccentric is rotatable on a bolt 81 so as to adjust the lug 72 to the right or left (as seen in Fig. 8) as desired. The eccentric may be held in adjusted position by a set screw 83 which cooperates with notches in the periphery of a flange on the eccentric 80. It is thus apparent that the angular position at which the shaft 40 is held by the interlock may be adjusted.

In the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 7, the wires L and L are connected to a suitable source of current for actuating solenoids. The switches for controlling the current which actuates these solenoids are not indicated in detail in Fig. 7, but are merely diagrammatically portrayed as relays. It will be understood that in a commercial installation, the two relay systems would probably be merged in a single panel, certain circuits, contactors, solenoids, etc. being common to the two systems where this is practicable. In Fig. 7, two control circuits are shown, one connected with the upper relay 85 so as to control current flow to the solenoid 70, and the other connected to the lower relay 86 so as to control current flow to the solenoid 88. The first mentioned control circuit includes the wires 90 and 91; and current is supplied for the circuit by abattery or other suitable source 92, the circuit being completed when both contacts 94 and, 95 carried by the beam 96 of the dial indicator 36 dip into the mercury in the pots 9'7 and 98. The details of the mechanism of the dial indicator 36 are fully set forth in my copending application Ser. No. 654,385.

As has been above set forth, the pointer of the dial indicator 36 registers with the full load mark (the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7) when the predetermined charge has been weighed out. At this time, both contacts 94 and 95 dip 'into the mercury pots, and the solenoidflO is actuated so as to elevate the lock'lever '71. In a commercial installation the relay indicated diagrammatically at 85 would be provided with a holding coil so as to retain the lever '71 in elevated position, giving the operator a chance to rotate the shaft 41 by mechanism previously referred to, whereupon the mechanism commonly provided in such commercial installations would operate to reset the relay with the holding coil open.

It will be noted that a latch is pivoted at 101 so that its nose may be swung inwardly to engage over the top of the outer end of the lock lever 71, thus preventing lifting of this lever by the solenoid 70. A connecting rod 102 leads 'to an arm on the rock shaft 28 which controls opening and closing of the louver gate; and accordingly, the nose of the latch 100 locks the lever 71 in lowered position except when the louver gate is closed by rotation of the shaft 28 to the position shown in Fig. 7.

The solenoid 88 controls latchmechanism 104 which cooperates with the shaft 28 to prevent opening of the louver gate after an emptying operation unless the receptacle 30 has been substantially completely emptied. The latch mechanism 104: may comprise a lug cooperating with a lug on the. shaft 28; and when current is supplied to the solenoid 88 by the relay system 86, the latch mechanism 104 is rotated so that its lug no longer blocks the lug on the shaft 28, and the louver gate may be open. The control circuit for the relay system 86 includes the wires 91 and 105, the circuit being completed when the contact 106 dips into the mercury in the pct 98. As has been fully set forth in my copending application Ser. No. 654,385, the contact 106 is lowered into contact with the mercury pot when the pointer of the dial indicator 36 registers with the empty mark. It is apparent, therefore, that unless the solenoid 88 is actuated, the latch mechanism 10% holds the shaft 28 in such position that the louver gate cannot be opened. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the relay system 86 will include a holding coil for maintaining the latch mechanism 104 in open position; and that the relay system 86 may be reset in suitable manner.

In the course of the description, certain advantages of the mechanism have-been pointed out. The advantages of the enclosing casing which protects the operator from the nuisance of dust arising during batching are obvious. The organization of the batching mechanism has been perfected so that the outlet through the louver gate delivers material to the tilting receptacle with a minimum leakage of dust and material. An important advantage of my invention is the arrangement for causing the inlet to the tilting neeaaee receptacle to cooperate with the outlet from the source of supply of the material in such fashion that the two interengage upon tilting of the receptacle to receiving position.

I have found the interlock between the weighing mechanism and the batcher to have important advantages in ensuring that the operator shall work accurately. I have found it particularly advantageous that the tilting receptacle 30 is positively locked in receiving position until, through the solenoid 70, the latching or holding means is withdrawn upon accurate filling of the receptacle so as to permit dumping of the same.

The louver gate for controlling the discharge of material from the source of supply has important advantages. This type of valve is of particular advantage in the control of cement flow. The gate is adapted to quickly shut off the flow of cement; and at the same time prevents cement becoming lodged in the valve passages. This type of valve is, therefore, particularly free from trouble in operation.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the same is not restricted to the specific embodiments described, but may be variously modified within the contemplation of the invention and under the scope or" the following claims.

I claim:

1. A batcher comprising means for supplying material, a receptacle having a common supply and discharge openingsaid receptacle being dischargeable through said opening by tilting, and means for delivering material into said receptacle from said supply means including a device for interrupting such delivery and a neck extending into said receptacle when the latter is in reoeiving position, said receptacle providing clearance through the side thereof for said neclr to permit tilting of the receptacle.

2. A batcher comprising means for delivering material including an outlet and a valve for con trolling passage of material through said outlet, and a receptacle tiltable to discharge, said are-- ceptacle having a common opening for receiving material from said delivering means when the receptacle is in one position and for discharging material when the receptacle is tilted, the border portions of the common opening of said receptacle overlapping said outlet on three sides when said receptacle is in receiving position to prevent escape of such material during flow from said outlet into said receptacle.

3. A batcher comprising a tilting receptacle normally stably positioned so as to require a positive force to effect tilting, means for delivering material thereto, a valve for shutting off said delivering means, a latch for retaining said receptacle in receiving position, a mechanical interlock between said latch and said valve for maintaining said receptacle latched while the valve is open, a solenoid for withdrawing said latch, a control circuit for causing actuation of said solenoid when a predetermined quantity of material has been received in said tilting receptacle, and positive means for tilting said receptacle.

HAROLD E. MCCRERY, 

